The present invention is related generally to the field of video imaging systems. Specifically, the present invention is related to a dental video imaging system that has camera control unit (CCU) circuitry for the video camera incorporated within the camera handpiece.
Video cameras for imaging dental anatomy are well known in the market place and described in the prior art. For example, Cooper in U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,249, which is incorporated herein by reference, describes DENTSPLY's Acucam® Dental Imaging Camera. These imaging cameras consist of a handpiece having a distal end that contains optics and a sensor assembly for acquiring an image of dental anatomy either intra- or extra-orally. The acquired image is typically transmitted to a docking module for a docking station or directly to an interface unit using a cable with 16 or more wires for subsequent processing before the image is displayed to the clinician. The length of the cable between the handpiece and the docking module or the interface unit is usually restricted to 2 or 3 meters before the degradation of sensor pulses starts to substantially affect the quality of the image.
FIG. 7 illustrates an arrangement of a docking module and docking station as used with a conventional camera. The conventional camera 702 is connected to a docking module 704 that contains a CCU 706. The docking module 704 with the CCU 706 is then plugged into a docking station 708. The docking station 708 is connected to a video monitor 710 for the clinician to view the images acquired with the conventional camera 702. Alternatively, the conventional camera 702 can be connected to an interface unit (not shown) that has a CCU 706. The interface unit would then be connected to the video monitor 710 for the clinician to view the images acquired with the conventional camera 702. Further, since much of the imaging needed is intra-oral, it is a continuing goal of the developing technology to miniaturize and make the components as small as possible.
Therefore what is needed is a dental imaging system that has a camera handpiece and associated cables that are reduced in size and can be used at larger distances from a docking station.